My collection#17
Certotix 6x9cm self erecting folding CameraInfo from
Cosmonet.orgMade by Certo Kamera Werk (Dresden, Germany) in 1931. Certo had been making many kind of 6x9cm 120 film cameras since around 1925. This camera was a rare model of self erecting spring bed camera among the other folding cameras. It is one of the most compact light 6x9cm folding cameras ever made, only 420 grams.
It has a reflecting waist level view finder on top of lens board, which was most popular for folding cameras of this age. It also has a frame finder attached on the top of the body. The lens is a Meyer Gorlitz Trioplan 10.5cm F6.3. The focusing is front cell rotation, focusing from 2 meters to infinity, no range finder. Minimum aperture is F22.
The shutter is VARIO, ever ready type, has T, B, 1/25 - 1/100sec, no self timer. There is a small hole under the lens board, which is not for a shutter release, but is able to hold a small release cable and possibly to fold the bed with the cable inside.
Certotix Specifications | Maker | Certo Kamera Werk (Dresden, Germany) |
| C.A | 1931 |
| Film | 120, 6x9cm, 8 exposures |
| Weight | 420g |
| Lens | Meyer Gorlitz Trioplan 10.5cm F6.3
Minimum aperture F22 |
| Shutter | VARIO T, B, 1/25 - 1/100sec |
| Finder | Reflex and Frame finder |
| Focusing | Front cell rotating, no range finder |
| Film winding | Red window, no cover |
My collection#16
Balda BaldinetteInfo from Camerapedia and
TheCameraSite.netBalda Baldinette a folding 35mm camera was manufactured by Balda Bunde Kamera-Werk in West-Germany around 1951. It is fitted with a Schneider-Kreuznach Radionar f/2.9 50mm lens in a Prontor-S shutter.
It is quite compact and easy to handle. The camera is built over a sturdy die cast body and has a clear resemblance to some Kodak Retina cameras and especially to Zeiss Nettar 515.
Baldinette has no rangefinder neither an exposure meter. The Super Baldina which was introduced in 1955 has a rangefinder but in stead of beeing a folding camera it has a collapsible lens unit like Balda Baldixette or Goldeck 6x6.
In 1953, the Baldinette sold in the USA for US$40 (equivalent to US$317 in 2009). Copies with red and blue leatherette are known, but very rare.
My collection#15
Agfa Isoflash-Rapid CInfo from
CamerapediaThe Agfa Isoflash-Rapid C was manufactured around 1966 by Agfa Camera-Werk in Munich, Germany. It was made for Agfa's own film system for 24×24mm exposures, the Rapid film cartridges. The two-cartridge system simplified film load. The new cartridge has to be layed into the camera with the film reaching the opening of a second cartridge which winds up the exposed film. Then the camera has to be closed and can be used after winding up for the first exposure.
The Isoflash-Rapid C was basically the Iso-Rapid C for distribution in the USA. It uses flashcubes. It has an Isitar f/8.2 lens in a Parator shutter with two speeds: “Sunny” (1/80 sec) and “Shade/Cloudy” (1/40 sec). For firing the flash cubes the camera does use a battery that is well hidden behind the baseplate.
My collection# Vintage Camera Accessories
Agfa Lucimeter S - Camera LightmeterInfo from
Jollinger.comAgfa was a major photographic manufacturer in Germany; like Kodak, their bread and butter was film and consumables, but they also sold a lot of consumer-level cameras and accessories. Yet—like Kodak—they never really got into exposure meters. There are only a few that bear the Agfa name, and it's safe to say they were made by someone else and branded by Agfa. I think it was made by Bertram, as it bears a good resemblance to their Quick and Super. But that's just my opinion.
This is the last of their meters, the Lucimeter S (previous models were the Lucimeter, Lucimeter II, Lucimeter M and Lucimat). This one is match-needle with no scale on the face.
My collection# Vintage Camera Accessories
Agfa "Agfalux" Bakelite Photo Flash 35mmInfo from
RolandAndCaroline.coYou can't be involved with old cameras for long before you start having to deal with accessories like flash guns.
This type was introduced in the late 1950s - possibly as early as 1957 - but was certainly being stocked by the London dealer “Wallace Heaton” by 1959. Very similar in styling to the original Agfalux - but smaller and for capless bulbs only. In 1962 This flash would have cost £3 19s 11d including the plastic case. The 22.5v battery was 2s 6d extra. Available in white as well as black.
My collection# Vintage Camera Accessories
Rollei E15 Auto Flash Head 35mm
My collection# Vintage Camera Accessories
Canon Canolite D Flash Strobe 35mm
Dah lama tak pegi ambik gambar dengan kengkawan, pagi tadi saya pergi ke Bukit Belachan, Ampang. Sebelum ni saya belum pernah lagi ke sana. Tak sangka pulak kat kawasan Ampang ada hutan dan sungai macam tu. Kalau cuaca sejuk berkabus, pasti pemandangannya tampak lebih menarik.
My collection#14
Kodak Retinette 1AInfo from Wikipedia and Camerapedia
The Kodak Retinette 1A was a product of the German Kodak AG. It was produced from 1959 to 1966. It was a development in the series of Retinettes.
Kodak Retinette is the name of a classic series of cameras manufactured by the Eastman Kodak company. They were introduced in 1939 as a less expensive alternative to the Kodak Retina series. The first models were of the folding type using bellows and their lenses had three elements as compared to the four element Tessar lenses (Greek: Tessera meaning four) of the Retina series. The first non-folding (rigid) variant was introduced in 1954 with the model 022. They most often featured Schneider Kreuznach Reomar lenses but, sometimes, Rodenstock Reomar lenses were installed. The Rodenstock lenses were based on the original Schneider Kreuznach triplet (three optical element) design. Kodak Anastigmat Angénieux lenses were also used especially for the French market. Common shutters included Compur–Rapid as well as various Pronto, Vero and Kodak models.
Common features of all Retinette IA cameras:
* uses 35mm film.
* no built-in meter.
* flash cold shoe (1959-1963)
* flash hot shoe (1963-1967)
The Retinette IA was produced in several versions:
Typ 035 (early-VERO) Early 035 Kodak Retinette 1A* Production time: February 1959 to October 1959
* Produced: Serial number ranges: 50000 to 125178, 131812 to 135336
* Lens: Reomar f:3.5/50mm
* Shutter: Vero
Typ 035 (late-PRONTO)* Production time: October 1959 to February 1961
* Produced: Serial number ranges: 126677 to 130479, 136165 to 255166
* Lens: Schneider-Kreuznach Reomar f:3.5/50mm
* Shutter: Pronto
Typ 035/7 (French model)* Production time: 1959 to 1961
* Produced: Identified Serial number range: 50270 to 60995, 650405 to 662983
* Lens: KODAK ANASTIGMAT F:2.8 ANGENIEUX 50mm
* Shutter: Kodak Angen. OBK2
Typ 042 * Production time: January 1961 to February 1963
* Produced: Serial number ranges:50001 to 233146,EK 800001 to EK 829669
* Lens: Schneider-Kreuznach Reomar 1:2.8/45mm.
* Shutter: PRONTO
Typ 044* Produced: January 1963 - 1966 ? August ? .
* Produced: Serial number ranges below:
* 243638 to 419999 - P250S shutter
* EK 830209 to EK 864999 - P250S shutter
* 420000 to 547925 - P300S shutter
* EK 865000 to EK 870997 - P300S shutter
* Lens: Schneider-Kreuznach Reomar 1:2.8/45mm
* Shutter: Prontor 250S (1/30-1/250 +B), then later Prontor 300S; both with hot shoe
* Note: "RETINETTE" engraved in a square font.
My collection#13
Rollei 35 LEDInfo from Wikipedia
The Rollei 35 is a 35mm miniature viewfinder camera built by Rollei. The original Rollei 35, when presented to the public at the photokina in 1966, was the smallest 135 film camera ever. Even at the present day the cameras of the Rollei 35 series remain the smallest ever built mechanically working 35 mm camera. During a time spanning 30 years of production, the total number of cameras of the Rollei 35 series made, is about 2 million pieces.
Preliminary ThoughtsIn about 1960, when the first subminiature cameras for 16 mm film came to market, Heinz Waaske, chief engineer of German camera maker Wirgin, reasoned that purchasers of the 16 mm subminiature cameras, or even the half-frame Olympus Pen 35 mm cameras, did not want to buy them so much for the tiny film format, but more for the pocketable size. After having already engineered and designed a 16 mm film subminiature, the Wirgin Edixa 16, and some full-frame 35 mm single-lens-reflex cameras, he now imagined building a full-frame 35 mm camera, in a housing only one third of the volume of contemporary viewfinder cameras.
Design of First PrototypeIn his spare time, working in his own living room, Waaske made the first technical drawings of the parts of the anticipated camera in 1962, allowing prototypes to be made in the workshop of Wirgin.
The Rollei 35 standard model - DevelopmentIn Braunschweig the camera had to be converted to use parts from Rollei's suppliers, as Rollei did not maintain business relations with Metrawatt and Steinheil. A high-quality Tessar lens was made-to-order by Zeiss. Rollei's light meter supplier was Gossen. Whether to use either a photovoltaic selenium sensor or a CdS photoresistor, was finally decided in August in favour of the CdS. Gossen named the same measuring range for both solutions. A selenium-cell powered light meter was cheaper in production and did not need a battery. However, the much smaller CdS-photoresistor improved the stylish look of the camera, the battery powered light-meter was more shock-proof, and the "CdS technology" could be used as a selling point in advertising. The housing needed to be changed just slightly, since Waaske unknowingly had adopted the appearance of Rollei's twin-lens reflex cameras, by placing the exposure time and aperture controls to the right and to the left side of the lens. Nevertheless Rollei's designer Ernst Moeckl revised the housing, and, in particular by changing the edge radius, the camera appeared even smaller.
For the mercury battery PX 13 (= PX 625 = MR 9) of the light meter, a place was found inside the camera housing. The film rewind knob of the engineering model was exchanged for a rewind crank, and a hot shoe was added for mounting an electronic flash at the base plate. Placing the hot shoe on top of the camera was not feasible, because of the underlying exposure meter and transmission gear. Mounting the hot shoe at the frame cover would likely cause damage, when using one of the heavy flash lights of that time. Therefore, for a natural lighting shade, the camera had to be turned upside down, when using a flash, to get the light source above the lens. The projected name for the camera was at first to be the "Rollei privat", which even was the engraving on the final draft in March 1966. But in April 1966, when Dr. Peesel decided to designate all Rollei cameras according to the applied film format, the designation became Rollei 35.
Mass production started in July 1966 with a preproduction run. The first advertising folders still showed cameras with release bolting devices and battery test keys. The first proved to be redundant, since with the lens inserted the camera could not be released, anyway. The latter feature was dropped, for reasons of reliability – electrical contacts could easily fail. The voltage of the mercury battery voltage dropped so rapidly at the end of battery life time, that it would be hard to obtain a false exposure. Likewise a switch for the exposure meter was also dropped. The exposure meter was always on, even with the lens inserted. Enclosed in the darkness of the camera bag, practically no current drained from the battery, which therefore remained usable for many years.
On the way to mass productionWhen Heinz Waaske finally presented the fully functional new camera prototype to his employer, Heinrich Wirgin said: So you have wasted time on your own construction in my prototyping workshop?!. It was not until that moment, that Wirgin told his chief engineer, that he had already made up his mind to quit with the whole camera production and photo equipment business.
Looking for new employment in the German camera industry, Waaske presented his compact camera to Dr. Ludwig Leitz and to Kodak, but to no avail. In January 1965 Waaske started working for Rollei in Braunschweig (Brunswyck). After Waaske's bad experiences with showing his new camera in interview to potential employers, it was not before March 1965, that Rollei's managing director, Dr. Peesel, accidentally got a first glimpse of his new employee's tiny prototype camera. Filled with enthusiasm, Dr. Peesel decided, the camera should immediately be further developed by Waaske for mass production, but, using only parts of Rollei's suppliers. So, finally, Waaske's little camera was proudly presented at the Photokina in 1966 named as Rollei 35, with a better lens – the Zeiss Tessar 3.5/40mm lens, a state-of-the-art Gossen CdS-exposure meter and a precision-made diaphragm shutter made by Compur, using Waaske's patented shutter design.
Rollei B 35 and C 35Preceded by two concept studies, the beginners model with a triplet lens, the Zeiss Triotar f 3.5 / 40 mm, hit the market in October 1969. Initially, for the first concept study, Compur was asked for a simplified shutter with a limited timing range of 1/30 sec to 1/125 sec, which, however, was not cheap enough for an effective reduction in production cost.
Therefore the first concept study got an immovable lens tube. The original movable sliding tube was one of the most expensive parts, because it had to be precisely manufactured on a lathe for a light tight fitting. The second concept study retained the sliding tube for the lens, but used a selenium light meter. A light meter for the accessory shoe was assigned to be built by Gossen in early 1968, but finally an uncoupled light meter was integrated in the camera housing.
Aperture and shutter control on the lens barrel of a Rollei B35
The camera received the designation Rollei B 35, with the B indicating the light meter (German: Belichtungsmesser), a slightly cheaper model, omitting the light meter, was called Rollei C 35 for compact camera. Naturally, the innards of the camera were simplified by using more plastic parts. The control wheels on the camera body were replaced by a more conventional aperture control at the lens tube, and the control wheel for exposure time was placed at the sliding tube base on the body. Thus, the fully inserted lens protruded a bit more from the camera body, than in the previous model. Both of these models offered a shutter timing range from 1/30 sec to 1/500 sec and an aperture range from f/3.5 to f/22. The focusing range reaches from 3 feet (0.9m) to infinity. Two pairs of dots on the lens barrel indicate the depth-of-field for f/8 and f/16. The so-called Zeiss formula was inspired by this camera.
Especially for the North American market, a special edition with an artificial leather covering in traffic-red, yellow-orange, deer-brown, steel-blue and white was produced, counting 100 items for each color. But as these test samples did not cause much interest, they were not quoted in any price list.
Rollei 35 BIn 1976 the Rollei B 35 was renamed as Rollei 35 B without any further modification, to better conform to the Rollei designation scheme.
Rollei 35 LEDWithout its own development department, the Singapore production facility asked Rollei Germany for permission to make a redesign of the Rollei 35 B. The uncoupled selenium light meter was replaced by a new electronically coupled light meter, using variable resistors for transferring the aperture and shutter control settings to the light meter. The new designation Rollei 35 LED resulted from the three light emitting diodes in the viewfinder, which indicated overexposure, correct exposure, or underexposure. In October 1977 the first datasheet appeared and in January 1978 preproduction started. But the first models suffered from clumsy design of the power switch, which activated the light meter permanently. If the user forgot to switch the camera off, the battery was drained in just 15 hours. Furthermore, the PX-27 battery could be inserted the wrong way, causing damaged electronics. From August 1978 onward an improved model was made, where the light meter was only activated when the release button was depressed slightly.
Collection#12
Halina Paulette ElectricFrom Camerapedia
The Halina Paulette Electric was a viewfinder camera with an uncoupled selenium meter, made by Haking in Hong Kong, introduced in 1967. The meter scale on the top plate reads in EV numbers, which are transferred to an EV-number window on the lens barrel, linked to the aperture and speed rings. Film speed (25-400 ASA) is set by moving the sleeve with the EV window along a scale marked on the speed ring, below the meter window.
It was also sold by Dixons as the Prinz Mastermatic III, and as the Brenner Electric. The Halina Paulette was similar but without the meter.
The Halina Paulette was a 35mm viewfinder camera made in Hong Kong by Haking. It was introduced in c.1965, with a 45mm/f2.8 lens in a 4-speed (1/30-1/250) + B shutter.
Many Haking cameras were sold under other names; the Paulette was sold by Sears as the Model 65.
The Halina Paulette Electric is the same camera with an added light meter.
The Halina Paulette II is a later, 1973 version, similar to the Halina 2000.
